Animal Genetics and Breeding

Animal Genetics and Breeding Introduction

• Genetics involves heredity, the passing of genetic material from parents to offspring
• Genes are small sections of DNA and code for specific traits
• Genetic advances raise production and lower environmental impacts
• Objectives of animal breeding include increased yield, better-quality products, and disease-resistant animals

Methods for Breed Improvement

• Livestock production can be made more profitable by increasing productivity per animal
• Improvements can be made through better feed, healthcare, and animal management
• There are three genetic improvement methods include breed introduction, selection and breeding

Breed Introduction

• Breed introduction introduces high-quality livestock breeds to a farm or country.
• High-quality livestock breeds have high productive capacity and desirable traits.
• Introduction can occur from other farms or countries
• Breeds should have superior characteristics to local breeds,
• There are local, exotic, and cross breeds of farm animals.

Local vs Exotic Breeds in Ethiopia

• Local Ethiopian breeds are small, mature slowly, and are poor producers.
• Local breeds are adapted to the environment and resist diseases.
• Exotic breeds are not Ethiopian native and are usually larger and mature early.
• Exotic breeds are good producers but may not adapt and may fall ill
• Mating exotic breeds with local breeds can resolve the mentioned issues

Advantages of Breed Introduction

• Characteristics not in local breeds are introduced
• Enhanced productivity
• Crossbreeds adapted to the local environment perform better than local breeds

Disadvantages of Breed Introduction

• New diseases and pests can be introduced.
• Exotic breeds might struggle adapting.
• Exotic breeds may not achieve full productivity

Selection

• Genetic improvement can be achieved through proper selection
• Selection is a tool for livestock improvement
• Culling removes underperforming animals from the herd
• Animals with desirable traits are selected

Types of Selection

• Two types of selection
• Natural Selection: Where animals adapted to the environment survive, reproduce and pass on there genetics
• Artificial selection: Farmers select and mate the best performing animals

Artificial Section Methods

• Mass Selection: animals are selected or rejected based on their own performance in the field
• Progeny Selection: animals are selected on the performance of their offspring
• Family selection: Animals are selected or rejected on the basis of the performance of their relatives or family.
• Pedigree selection: Animals are selected or rejected on the basis of the performance of their ancestors.
• The mothers of the best performing offspring are kept
• The mothers of the worst performing offspring are culled

Selection Advantages

• Selection makes ensures that only the best animals are selected.
• Animals from the best breed are bred
• Animals identified as having undesirable traits are culled
• Lowers the chances of diseases being spread throughout the breeding stock

Selection Disadvantages

• Selection is time consuming and costly.
• Requires skill and resources
• May remove desirable traits from parent stock
• Does not introduce new characteristics

Breeding

• Breeding is the development of animals using inherited traits from parents to offspring.
• It is achieved through mating.

Methods of Breeding

• In-breeding: mating of closely related animals
• Line-breeding: the mating of distantly related animals
• Out-breeding: the mating of unrelated animals within the same breed
• Cross-breeding: mating proven species within the same species from two different breeds

In-Breeding

• Mating closely related animals like father to daughter, son to mother, or brother to sister, which can produce inbred lines and hybrid vigor
• Can produce offspring with recessive undesirable genes
• Inbreeding depression

Line-Breeding

• It has the same disadvantages as in-breeding, but it takes a longer period for undesirable traits to appear which involves mating distantly related animals, like cousins

Out-Breeding

• Mating unrelated animals within the same breed
• It produces offspring with greater vigor and productivity
• The opposite of inbreeding

Cross-Breeding

• The mating of quality animals of same species but a different breed
• Breeds animals with higher production capacity
• The phenomenon is called heterosis or hybrid vigor
• Increases resistance to disease.
• Individuals can withstand environmental conditions
• Promotes higher yields of eggs, meat and milk in offspring

Related vs Unrelated Breeding Comparison

• Related breeding concentrates on preserving specific qualities, while unrelated breeding promotes heterosis and new breed development
• Related breeding can result in defective livestock, while unrelated breeding comes with higher operating costs and potential sizing problems
• Related breeding mates close relatives, while unrelated breeding mates animals from different breeds

Farm Animal Reproductive Technologies

• Becoming more important for modern animal breeding
• Disseminates genes of interest
• Increases reproductive animal capacities
• Biotechnology is used to improve breeding stocks
• Examples of technology are artificial insemination and embryo transfer

Artificial Insemination (AI)

• Sperm cells are collected from male animals and deposited into the reproductive tract of a female (vagina, cervix or uterus)
• Is the most important reproductive technology for genetic improvement in domestic animals.
• Hygienically Collected from superior males
• It Is stored at a temperature of -196 oC in liquid nitrogen.
• Use the liquid nitrogen tank for semen
• Requires a good heat detection program.
• Needs accurate herd supervision and heat detection.

Oestrus Signs in Females

• Loss of appetite
• Constant vocalizations and restlessness
• Rubbing up against herd-mates
• Redder and moist vulva
• Swelling around the vulva
• Thin mucous discharge
• Stops when mounted

Insemination Best Practices

• Insemination is carried out in a sheltered area that is protected from unfavorable conditions like wind, dust and rain.
• Instruments must be sterile
• Wear appropriate protective clothing like a plastic apron, gumboots and gloves

Advantages of Artificial Insemination

• Use a wider variety of superior males
• Increases number of breedable females
• Decreases infectious disease spread
• No need to keep a male animal
• Mostly semen brought from AI centers
• Helps to keep accurate breeding records
• Old, heavy and injured males can be used

Limitations of Artificial Insemination

• Requires well-trained operators, personnel, equipment and facilities
• More time than other services

Embryo Transfer (ET)

• An artificial method of breeding where embryos are removed from a donor and transferred to a recipient
• Donor animals are highly productive or superior
• Recipients are less productive
• Enables powerful technology in genetic improvement of farm animals
• Cattle receive treatment to produce more than one ovulation

Embryo Transfer Process

• Cows are inseminated from bulls with desirable traits
• After seven days, a veterinarian obtains the embryos using a catheter and recovery fluid
• The fluid is passed through a filter that collects the embryos
• Filtered into a lab, and evaluated under the microscope

Advantages of Embryo Transfer

• Allows a producer to quickly multiply offspring
• Easier and rapid exchange of genetic material
• No need to transport live animals
• Prevents risk of disease transmission
• Enhances storage and expansion of rare genetic stock

Disadvantages of Embryo Transfer

• High cost and requires skill and time

Animal Identification and Record Keeping

• Producers can monitor herd performance
• Performance information helps farmers make informed flock management decisions
• Allows for selection of breeding stock and culling underperforming animals
• Tracking of medication use
• Performance can be tracked through phenotypic data

Animal Record Keeping & Tracking

• Identification allows producers to keep records of an animal’s parentage, birth date, and production
• Systems of Identification include- Branding, ear tags, tattooing, ear notches or microchips
• Temporary methods include tail marking, clipping or dying fur

Animal Housing Significance

• Important for profitable animal production
• Necessary for good feeding and breeding
• Good housing provides comfort and protection from environment and disease, also provides environmental controls
• Controls the inside environment
• Animals change in response to environment
• Reduces quantity and quality of products

Control Factors for Animal Housing

• Important for disease and parasites

• Good for housing will facilitate stock and eradicate external parasites

• Efficient use of feed and buildings that will reduce labor and cost

• Easier to do other routine tasks like watering, breeding, and milking

• Protect animals from predators

Types of Farm Animal Housing

• Depends on the type, climate, local and economic availability
• Traditional styles are not compatible with all climates

Conventional Barns / Houses

• Animals are protected from conditions
• Roofed structures with windows and ventilation
• Protects animals and workers from conditions
• Hygiene and less prevalent disease

Loose Housing

• Animals are free, move freely
• Provide comfort with free movement
• Suitable for a tropical climate

Free Range Systems

• Leaving stock animals out in a large space.
• Has both shelter and also watering points.

Modern Farms

• Can be kept inside based on the weather
• Battery cages help modern farms. Cage systems are most efficient for production.

Farm Animal Welfare

• Animals should live healthy, comfy, nourished, and safe
• Disease prevention, shelter, nutrition, and humane slaughter for welfare

Guidelines for Site Selection

• Five freedoms of care: thirst and hunger, discomfort, pain and injury, distress and fear, and freedoms for livestock
• Location is topography of well-drained areas
• Type of soil affects drainage
• Veterinary should be in place

Accessibility & animal Health

• Should be located where good market outlet and power lines are available
• Odor control to keep a good separation
• Proper size to consider any later expansion

Animal House Construction

• There is need for East-West orientation to avoid direct light and light for North-South
• The well is to lay on top on foundation with stones
• Need stone, cement and walls
• Roof protects from weather, also need proper ventilation

Animal Health and Disease

• Well-being of an animal
• Disease departs from health, signs are lost of appetite, production and reproduction
• Routes and animal contact, bodily fluids, and insects

Symptoms of Sick Animals

• Sick animals depend on types of disease, such as a loss rate for herd
• Head to drop, lazy, tiredness
• Watery, bloody, smell feces and urine,
• Discharges, raised hair and swelling

Major Animal Diseases

• Animals get sick through infectious and non, viral bacterial
• Can be communicable between animals
• Non-infectious are caused by heredity
• Major diseases in Africa include (FMD) foot and mouth disease, tuberculosis, brucellosis, the contagious Pleuroneumonia, Cocci and trypanosomiasis

Contagious Disease Overview

• Foot and Mouth Disease: is a highly contagious, acute viral disease which affects cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. Contact with urine, feaces, milk, and nasal
• Contagious pneumonia: respiratory for goats, sheep and pigs, spreads when in contact with others
• Brucellosis: infectious bacteria disease,

Livestock Disease Types

• Anthrax: infects domestic animals from bacteria
• NewCastle: viral in birds that impacts appetite, paralysis and can be stopped with vaccinations
• Taeniasis: tapeworm and harms pigs and cattle

Parasites of Farm Animals

• Organism lives to get nourishment for hosts, there is 1000 species that impacts animals
• Parasites are caused by internal and external with disease
• Internal- Tape worm, round worm, and liver fluke
• External- ticks, flies, lice, and mites

Effects of Animal Disasters

• Sick animals will eventually fail.
• Productivity lowers for farmers
• The market closes for live animals

Prevention & Zoonotic

• Expensive to control and the is additional effects of animal diseases is public, some can spread to farmers
• The diseases are zoonotic

Measures To Protect Against Disease

• Prevention is to isolate from others
• Separate the sick from healthy, medication and vaccines, quarantine, deworm and bio security, good hygiene

Animal Treatment

• Farmers get most of there elders
• Medicinal plants collected from will parts for treatment